Dynamo keep good times rolling with second straight win

By Jose de Jesus Ortiz |
May 7, 2014
| Updated: May 7, 2014 10:39pm

Houston Dynamo Omar Cummings, middle, tries to get the ball by Columbus Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark, bottom, during the second half of a MLS soccer game at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Columbus Crew Dominic Oduro blocks the ball away from Houston Dynamo A.J. Cochran during the first half of a MLS soccer game at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Houston Dynamo midfielder Andrew Driver heads a ball away from Columbus Crew defender Josh Williams during the first half of a MLS soccer game at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall blocks a shot during the first half of a MLS soccer game against the Columbus Crew at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Columbus Crew forward Jairo Arrieta is defended by Houston Dynamo's David Horst (18) during the first half of a MLS soccer game at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Columbus Crew forward Jairo Arrieta takes a shot against Houston Dynamo defender Kofi Sarkodie (8) during the first half of a MLS soccer game at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall, right, and Columbus Crew's Adam Bedell get into a brief altercation during the second half of a MLS soccer game at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Houston Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear calls out plays during the second half of a MLS soccer game against the Columbus Crew at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Houston Dynamo forward Will Bruin (12) is congratulated by teammate Andrew Driver after scoring a goal during the second half of a MLS soccer game against the Columbus Crew at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Houston Dynamo forward Will Bruin, right, is congratulated by teammate Andrew Driver after scoring a goal during the second half of a MLS soccer game against the Columbus Crew at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Houston Dynamo forward Will Bruin, right, is congratulated by teammate Andrew Driver after scoring a goal during the second half of a MLS soccer game against the Columbus Crew at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Columbus Crew defender Giancarlo Gonzalez, front, heads the ball away from Houston Dynamo Mark Sherrod during the second half of a MLS soccer game at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston. The Houston Dynamo defeated the Columbus Crew 1-0.

Photo By J. Patric Schneider/For the Chronicle

Houston Dynamo forward Will Bruin, right, is congratulated by teammate Andrew Driver after scoring a goal during the second half of a MLS soccer game against the Columbus Crew at BBVA Compass stadium on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Houston.

More than anybody in Dynamo history, forward Will Bruin epitomizes his club's standing in the local sports market. He's overlooked and underappreciated, a successful brand deserving of more recognition.

Among his franchise's all-time greats, Bruin is overlooked by local soccer fans in the same way the Dynamo are overshadowed in Houston by the Texans, Rockets and Astros. Like the Dynamo, though, he keeps winning, succeeding and climbing up the franchise's all-time scoring list.

Bruin leaped ahead and over several Columbus Crew defenders Wednesday night with enough body control to redirect the ball into the back of the net with his shoulder to give the Dynamo a 1-0 victory at BBVA Compass Stadium.

With his team-leading sixth goal of the season, Bruin extended his scoring streak to three games. Moreover, the Dynamo extended their winning streak to two games to move into a tie atop the Eastern Conference standings.

"I never understood why they were going at him," Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear said of Bruin's large legion of critics. "I thought it was kind of stupid myself. It's been local guys too, which is really disappointing because he's a good person on the field; he lives his life the right way and he scores goals. And I think he's tied for fourth or maybe even moved up with that goal tonight."

In only his fourth season, Bruin, 24, is already third on the Dynamo's all-time scoring list with 37 in all competitions. Only franchise icon Brian Ching (69) and captain Brad Davis (38) have scored more goals since the franchise's inaugural 2006 season.

Bruin surpassed former Dynamo fan favorite Dwayne De Rosario's 32 franchise goals in the first game of this season. Bruin's scoring streak is also the longest by a Dynamo player since another fan favorite, Stuart Holden, scored in three consecutive games in 2009 - May 30, June 5 and June 10.

"I don't know what people are looking for," Kinnear said. "You want a guy that makes good runs and puts away chances and works hard for the team on both sides of the ball. You have it in him. I love having him on the team. I wish people would put their expertise aside and realize we have a good forward here."

The Dynamo (4-4-2, 14 points) are now 2-0 since snapping their six-game winless streak. The winning goal was set up when Corey Ashe won a free kick on the left wing, about 25 yards away from the goal. Davis, who has scored or provided an assist in his last five appearances for the club, whipped his free kick toward the near post.

Bruin then leaped in for the unconventional finish before an appreciative crowd of 15,030.

"Brad put in a great ball," Bruin said. "I went up and ... I think I got bumped when I went up and missed the header, but it just went off my shoulder. I've been doing a lot of shrugs in the gym, and I just shrugged it over the goal."

The Dynamo then held off the Crew for the shutout on a night goalkeeper Tally Hall had six saves, including two in a span of a few seconds in the 30th minute to deny Giancarlo Gonzalez on a hip redirect and Jairo Arrieta on the rebound.

Crew defender Waylon Francis nearly tied the score in the 58th minute with a blast from 35 yards out, forcing Hall to make a leaping save to parry the ball over the crossbar. A minute later, Hall made another save on Arrieta's shot from close range.

Crew forward Justin Meram rattled the near post with a shot from long distance in the 82nd minute.

"I thought he played great tonight," Bruin said of Hall. "He commanded his box extremely well, came out for crosses, gobbled up anything in and around him and made some big saves, so I thought he played great. A clean sheet is much deserved."

Moreover, Bruin doesn't appear nearly as irritated as Kinnear with his critics.

"It used to get me," Bruin said. "I don't even think about it anymore. I don't care. I don't have time for them. It doesn't get to me. My job is to score goals. It's what I do."

Only Ching and Davis have score more goals for the Dynamo than Bruin, and that's something to celebrate.